


a burn mark on my skin

by troubadore



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:53:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21824698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/troubadore/pseuds/troubadore
Summary: Ed’s hand hasRoycarved into it, dead center of his palm.
Relationships: Edward Elric/Roy Mustang
Comments: 9
Kudos: 319
Collections: FMA Gift Exchange 2019





	a burn mark on my skin

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Baekhanded](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Baekhanded/gifts).



> well well well, look who managed to write some words (its me, i wrote some words) 
> 
> happy holidays, yeollie-bells! i was your fmagiftexchange gifter and you said you'd be fine with royed and soulmates, so here you go! enjoy~

Ed’s hand has _Roy_ carved into it, dead center of his palm. 

Or, more accurately, his _soul_ is carved with that name, and his palm is just where it happened to manifest on his physical body. 

That hand is gone now, replaced with the automail, but Ed knows, sees it there whenever he looks at his hands and lets his eyes linger on the unmarred metal. It might not be a part of his physical body anymore, but it’s still on his soul, because not even the Truth can take away something so intrinsically _him_. 

He’d wondered, briefly, hysterically, in that place between places, in front of a door that he never should have opened but can’t forget what he’d seen beyond it, if giving up his soulmate would be payment enough to get Al back. If giving up _himself_ not only in body but in every way he _is_ would right the wrong he’d done. 

It would have been worth it. 

(Al is worth everything.) 

But the Truth didn’t want that. The Truth took his arm and let him keep the rest, and now Al is stuck in the armor (no more body, no more _Winry_ carved over his heart to match the _Alphonse_ carved along her wrist) and Ed still has _Roy_ on his soul but not on his palm because he doesn’t have it anymore and the only thing he knows for sure is that equivalent exchange is a fucking joke. 

Everything is a fucking joke because _Roy_ walks in and looks at him with such absolute fury and horror it makes something inside him flinch and curl away, and then tells him he _saw_ and demands _what did you do_. 

(But _Roy_ also looks at him with something like understanding and tells him he can fix it, but only if he tries.) 

_Roy_ turns out to be an asshole, an absolute bastard, but also a good man. He makes shitty jokes and keeps smirking at Ed in such a patronizing way it makes his blood boil and acts like all Ed will ever be is a child despite all he’s been through and all he’s done, but he’d give his life for his team in a heartbeat and there’s no one Ed trusts more to have his back, and he’s had to do things that left him with nightmares and he doesn’t believe he deserves forgiveness for any of it but it doesn’t stop him from doing everything he can to make amends and do _good_ because if he doesn’t then why shouldn’t he just eat a bullet and call it a day? so he plans and he calculates and he tries to make life just a little better for the people he serves (not the military; the citizens of Amestris, because the military is full of scumbags and assholes who take advantage and oppress in equal measure and it makes them all sick) and he never asks for anything in return. 

He’s more than earned Ed’s respect and admiration and he deserves the fucking world even though he won’t let anyone give it to him and it’s so infuriating Ed wants to rip his hair out. 

(Ed’s a fucking hypocrite, though, but he won’t ever say it out loud.) 

So Ed stares at his palm made of steel and sees _Roy_ in small, delicate letters even after all the times Winry’s had to replace it, and every time he claps and feels the surge of his alchemy crackle through his veins he thinks of Roy Mustang and how (badly, terribly, desperately, _infuriatingly_ —) tight he wants to hold onto him. 

The universe must like him a little, though, because Roy has _Edward_ carved in tiny letters on his hand, too—right down his finger where his thumb meets it when he snaps his own alchemy to life. It’s covered by his gloves most of the time because Roy is basically defenseless without them (He’s not. He’s strong and capable with a sharp wit and cutting intellect and he can more than hold his own, but Ed likes to tease him), but every once in a while, when it’s just them left in the office after a long day, Roy will take them off and cast them aside, and he’ll hold out his arm and let Ed hold his hand. 

(Roy always has the softest smile on his face when Ed does that, like he can’t believe he could have ever gotten so lucky but he’ll be damned if he doesn’t take it and hoard it for all its worth and never let it go.) 

“You’re a sap,” Ed says. He traces his finger gently (lovingly) over his own name on Roy in contradiction to his accusing tone. 

Roy just chuckles at his words. “You’re the one holding my hand.” 

Ed scowls, knows he’s blushing, and holds it tighter to prove a point. He’s still not sure what he’s trying to prove, but Roy gets it regardless. 

He’s asked, before, if Roy is bothered by his name no longer being on Ed’s palm like it should be, if it doesn’t make him doubt it all—this, _them_. Ed can feel it, can feel his tie to Roy on an instinctual, spiritual level, knows it the way he knows how to breathe and live and use alchemy, but without visible indication, how can Roy be sure, too? 

Roy’s said he knows it the same way Ed does, like he knows breathing and living and alchemy, and that, sometimes, he thinks he sees it on Ed’s palm, too. Those are the days he takes Ed’s hand in his and holds it tight even though Ed can’t feel things like that with the automail the way he can with his flesh and bone hand. 

“Dinner tonight?” Roy asks, and Ed says, “Only if you’re buying.” 

(Roy always buys. Ed would feel bad about it but Roy’s the doting type and Ed kind of likes to be doted on.) 

When they finally leave the office, Roy takes Ed’s hand in his, and Ed curls his fingers to fit in between Roy’s. 


End file.
